Spring clip



W. T. R. PRICE.

SPRINQ CLIP. 'APPLICATION FILED AUG-28, 1920.

1,407,479, Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

d INVENTOR usarnn stares earner caries.

Y WILLIAM T. It. PRICE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR '10 COMPANY, OF NEW'YOEK, N. Y. A CORPORATION actate.

INTERNATIONAL MOTOR OF DELAWARE.

SPRING CLIP.

Specification. of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 21, 1922,

application filed August 28, 1920. Serial No. 406,542.

To (JP whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'I'LIJAM T. R. PRICE, a. citizenof the 'United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Clips, of'which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to what may be termed asupplemental spring clip designed for association with the ordinary type of saddle clip now used on leaf springs of motor vehicles. Spring clips as now so often constructed include two U-bolts which pass over the oppositeends of a saddle of some length which may rest on the top side of the spring. These U-bolts may pass through or along the sides ofthe axle and be drawn on the saddle by nuts at their lower ends. It has been found in practice that it is nearly impossible to set up these bolts sufficiently tight to draw the leaves into intimate and permanent surface contact so as to prevent relative movement therebetween and it is also well nigh impossible to clamp the spring as a unit on the axle with such firmness as to prevent the lowermost lea-f from sliding relative to the axle. This creates an insecure and dangerous connection, both as between the various spring leaves of the spring and as between the spring and the axle. The present invention has for its object to provide a supplementary clip for the leaves alone by which they can be securely and permanently drawn together and held against relative movement and by which the spring as a unit can be clamped to the axle and held thereon against relative movement. In the present practise the saddle is not drawn down snugly and uniformly upon assembling since either one end or the other depending upon which is set up first compresses the leaves in its line of draw thereby tending to open them at the distant point where the other bolt rests. The improved clip is secured in place about the leaves and inter mediate the usual U-bolts before the latter with the boltsand prevent movement of the pad on the axle. Reference is now to be had to the accompanying drawing for an understanding of a suitable embodiment of the invention, in which- Figure 1 1s a View in side elevation of an improved clip, a fragment of a leaf spring direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail view in side elevation of the improved clip.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a fragment of the improved clip.

In automobile practise, the leaf springs, one of which is indicated generally at a, are secured in place on the axle, one type of which is illustrated at b. The springs in being secured in place on the axle are engaged by some form of clip which not only serves to secure the leaves together but also holds the spring as a unit in place on the axle. One form of clip is illustrated in the drawing as comprising a saddle piece 0 formed adjacent opposite ends with trans- Verse grooves 0, 0 to receive suitable U-bolts d, d, the legs of which snugly embrace the spring a and pass through the axle b and are engaged at the lower ends by suitable nuts (Z (Z respectively. It has been found in practise in applying such types of spring clips that sufficient pressure on the leaves cannot be obtained to draw them snugly and uniformly into surface contact and secure them permanently in such relation and with sufficient friction to hold them against relative movement. Further, the lowermost leaf which rests on the axle cannot be bound to the axle surface with sufficient friction to prevent slippage therebetween. In accordance with the present invention the saddle c is formed intermediate the grooves c', c with ears a c at opposite sides thereof to receive the upwardly extending threaded legs 6, e of the improved supplementary clip 6 The flat body of this clip 6 is adapted to rest under the spring a and form a pad therefor interposed between the spring and the axle.

By means of this clip the leaves are'secured permanently together and held against relative movement- The flat portion 6- is formed at proper points with ears e e*, etc. to receive the legs of the U-bolts (Z, d", respectively. In this Way the U'-bolts are positively engagedwith the improved clip sprin 'clip it ispassed under the. spring a tie properpoint and the. spring set on the axle resting on the pad 3 which con? stitutes the Web portion of the clip. The

[saddle 'c isthenrplac'ed on the top of the 7 spring, the boltse, e of the improved clip passing through the opposed ears 0 o of the saddle. Nuts f are then applied to the bolts e, e and the saddle :draivnfirmly down on to the top of the spring, the leaves being placed under compression Since the s a d' dle 0 Will be drawn uniformly down agalnst the top leaf of the spring throughout the length of the saddle all portions of the leaf Within the zone of the saddle will be uniformly" compressed and nof'counter' stresses can be set up; 'l/Vith the leaves under equal compression in the line of'the bolts d (Z,

thesebolts can then be putin place and set up on'tightly, the result beinguniform comv pression of the leaves throughout 7 and a I claim my i'nventlon: V r In combination with the saddleofa spring firm union of the springwith the axle. 7

clip, U b0 lts passing over! the saddle adjace nt opposite ends and extending down ardly through the axle to receive retaining nuts, a supplemental clip having a Web section adapted to rest under thespring and formed with ears projecting beyond the sides of the spring through vvhich the legs of said ubolrts Pass: n up' y extending legs formed integrally withfthe web sec- ,tion and lying between said 'U bolts and terminating in threaded portions extending through the saddle to receive retainingnuts. This specification gust, A. D1920.

WILLIAM T. R, PRICE.

signed this 1 0' day Au 

